I Uh You Too
by Kylink
Summary: The worst has happened. He never thought it could ever happen to him, but alas, it did. He has...fallen in love, and now he can't escape. How can someone as reserved and awkward as he get his feelings across to a woman like her, who is also equally reserved and awkward? ZachariasxEve; Endgame spoilers; *M rated content in chapter 6*
1. Vexing Feelings

**I tried not to, but I still ended up writing about these two. I can't help that I started shipping these two like crazy and the special episodes only added more to it. So I present you with this! Enjoy, and by the way, this contains spoilers for the game, just so you know.**

* * *

"Romance has no place on the battlefield" is what he had told himself over and over again. Every time they had crossed paths or the thought of her suddenly popped into his head, he would repeat this mantra silently until the fluttering in his chest went away. So why was it that no matter how many times he told himself to not let his feelings blind him, his heart kept on resisting against his mind?

He didn't know when the infatuation with her started, nor when it started to become too much of a nuisance to ignore. He did know that when she was his superior, they absolutely hated each other; never seeing eye to eye; the occasional jabs and insults; a heated argument or two that normally ended with her winning. He even drew a very crude picture of her which he found suitable for knife throwing practice. Of course, she went one further and stripped him of his title and threw him into a cold, dark cell after accusing him of treason, even though his actions were justified. Anyone in his position would never forgive her for something like that, whether or not they were all under a strange delusion by something in the water. Yet amidst all the anger and contempt he held for her, there was something else there that made his heart warm and his face warmer, and he could never place a finger on what it was until now. Maybe he was a masochist?

Ever since the witch trials ended and he found a new line of work at the bakery, he could not stop thinking about her. She really changed after the truth came to light. She was kinder, not as harsh, and the gentle, relaxed expression on her face was more attractive than her reserved, stone-cold persona she used to done. And he found out that she really was pretty shy, which he couldn't help but find adorable. As he thought about it, the two were spending more time together now than usual as they were fixing up the town. She even stopped by the bakery once in a while to visit Espella, and she would normally engage in a conversation with him (of course, it was mostly her doing the talking since he was usually too embarrassed to say anything). Though his favorite recollection of her by far was when he gave her a pastry for her birthday. Looking back on it, he sounded very ridiculous and the Eve back then probably would have given him a harsh reprimanding that would seriously hurt his pride. But this Eve merely smiled at him and thanked him for his efforts. He would never forget that.

Now he was sure that he loved her, but he just didn't know how to go about it. It didn't help that he didn't know whether or not she felt the same way either. Oh, how he wished he could be as direct as Constantine whenever the pup would give Eve the cat his leftover treats. However, he knew that if he kept on giving Eve pastries, she would eventually start to get uncomfortable and then he would be uncomfortable, and then everyone would be uncomfortable, and then the world would end–

Okay, maybe it wouldn't be that bad. But he didn't want her to get the wrong idea of him and thus start to avoid him. He just wasn't sure how he would be able to get his point across without him coming off as awkward, which would be near impossible since he knew (and everyone else knew at this point) that he was a little…easily flustered.

"And I just do not know how to impress a lady of her caliber…" He uttered, stroking Eve (the cat). "She has smitten me with her charm and now I am a victim of love and desire. How can a man like me…possibly get with a woman like her…?"

Eve meowed, and he wished that Triton boy was here now to interpret what she was saying. Maybe something like "tell her how you feel" or possibly more along the lines of "stop ranting and keep scratching behind my ears, human." He couldn't tell.

"Are you quite finished, Mr. Barnham?"

He flinched when he saw Espella standing in the doorway, a jug of milk in her hands. Immediately, Eve jumped away from him and started rubbing against her owner's leg.

"Q-Quite." He quickly responded as he shot up from the chair. If his boss caught him slacking on the job…his stomach couldn't even fathom the idea. Before he could leave out the door, Espella called after him.

"Why not try taking her out a couple times? As friends?"

Friends…

Well, it wasn't the kind of bond he wanted with Eve, but he supposed he had to start somewhere if he wanted to pursue a relationship with her. If Eve really did feel the same way he felt for her, then he could be sure that love would eventually find a way.


	2. Espella Ships It

Asking Eve to go out and do something with him as friends shouldn't have been a hard task by itself to begin with. So why was it, that every time he tried to ask her platonically to spend time with him, he always froze up from nervousness? Why did his face turn red and his heart threatened to burst out of his chest whenever he dared to approach her?

A few months had passed, and Zacharias still couldn't muster the courage to ask Eve out on a date. He partially blamed the increased tourism in the town, which required him to work longer hours at the bakery with hardly any breaks between crowds. Not to mention, Eve's frequent visits to the shop were becoming less and less now for reasons neither he, nor Espella for that matter, knew why. Reconstruction of the town was going smoothly, and it was only a matter of weeks before the project would be completely finished, so there was no reason for her to be extremely caught up in her work anymore. As days passed as customers came and went and no Eve in sight, Zacharias was beginning to grow paranoid. He wasn't even close to getting anywhere with Eve at his rate. It didn't help his pride that Espella was constantly asking, with high interest, how things were going between them, only for her to be disappointed when he responded with "I haven't even asked her yet."

Tonight was just about the same. The shop was closed, the boss was in the back counting up that day's finances, and the two workers were in the kitchen snacking on whatever was left over. The ex-inquisitor hoped that Espella wouldn't bring up his "quest" again as she usually did, but he knew that wouldn't be so, not that he could blame her. After all, the young girl was practically raised on fairy tales and happy endings, and right now…he was the knight in shining armor trying to earn the heart of the damsel-not-quite-in-distress.

"Eve is coming over for tea tomorrow." Was the first thing she said as they sat down to a treat of cinnamon bread with honey butter. That certainly caught him by surprise. So much so, that he needed to make sure he was hearing that right.

"Hm?"

"Yes. I ran into her on my way to market today. She's been helping Jean out at her late father's estate. So I invited her over tomorrow. You're welcome to join us, if you'd like."

The offer was tempting, given that this would be the first time in a while since he had last seen her. But there was the fear that words would fail him again, and he would just end up sitting there saying nothing while her patience was dwindling.

"I…cannot, I'm afraid." He hesitated a bit, but decided that answer was for the best. "I have to keep on working in the kitchen."

"But the shop is closed tomorrow."

"Oh…it is?"

"Did no one tell you? Tomorrow's the anniversary of the town, so everyone's taking the day off."

"Oh…I see."

"Besides, have you asked Eve to go out with you yet?"

There was the million dollar question. He sighed. "N-No…"

Espella never really got annoyed with people, but when he said that, he swore he saw her slightly roll her eyes. "Zacharias Barnham, do you call yourself a man?"

_Not you too, Espella. _"O-Of course I do! Who do you take me for otherwise?" What was with everyone questioning his masculinity as of late?

Espella just giggled. "I was kidding. Don't be so defensive. I really think you should join us tomorrow. It would be a good chance for you to pop the question."

"When you word it that way, it sounds like I'm planning on proposing to her." He grumbled. "It's not that I'm trying to avoid it, I'm just…"

"Nervous?"

He didn't answer, though she probably already knew that she hit the nail on the head. The evening continued on until Espella finished up the last of her bread and yawned. As she got up to return to her quarters, she patted him reassuringly on the back.

"Don't be." She said. "Chances are, she's probably as nervous to talk to you just as you are to talk to her."

He pondered that for a little while longer. Eve was nervous of him? He found that hard to believe. Since their inquisitor days, she sure didn't hold back when it came to pushing him around or harshly calling him out on his mistakes. Getting her to go on a date with him would have most likely ended up with him being thrown into the hellfire on her commands. But that was the old Eve…maybe this Eve would be more open to a relationship with him. He just needed to get the timing right. And tea time tomorrow would probably be his best chance to ask her, especially with Espella there to encourage her to say yes. With these plans in mind, he finally retired to his room for the night, confident that tomorrow would go as perfect as he thought it to be.

* * *

It was not going as perfect as he thought it to be. While Eve and Espella were happily talking the hours away, he was just…kind of there, sitting at the table, not really paying attention to what they were saying. This was not what he had in mind at all. He thought Eve would be relaxed enough to carry on a conversation with both he and Espella as they had tea and pastries, but instead she had just sat at the table in dead silence, avoiding eye contact until Espella asked her how things were going at the estate. Now he was the one sitting in dead silence and feeling very put out from the group. He couldn't just interrupt their conversation to ask Eve to spend time with him. Not like this. So he decided to wait, but as more time passed and their conversation wasn't letting up, he was starting to fear that there weren't going to be any opportunities for him to ask her. Espella every so often gave him an apologetic stare, but he shrugged it off and silently told her to just keep talking as he formulated a plan. But before he could come up with the perfect one, Eve announced that it was time for her to take her leave. Espella and Zacharias exchanged uneasy glances as the woman got up from the table.

"W-Wait, Eve!" Espella pleaded with her. "Surely, you can't leave yet."

"I have to." She responded. "I promised Jean that I would let her study my father's works that are still in my office."

"Well…wait here for a second! I have something to give you."

Eve opened her mouth to say something, but Espella already turned her heel to leave. She winked at Zacharias before disappearing into the kitchen, leaving the two by themselves.

"She seems…edgy for some reason." Eve muttered. "If I didn't know any better, I'd say she was up to something."

"Hm." Zacharias merely responded. Now was a great time to ask Eve out, but he still couldn't find the words to say to her. Already, his face was heating up and his palms were sweating.

"What's the matter, Zacharias?" Her voice quickly brought him out of his inward struggle.

"Wh-What do you mean?" He stuttered, trying to take control over himself.

Eve just stared at him, her eyes locking onto his, making him feel more on edge. "I don't know, but…you look rather flustered."

This was bad. She was starting to catch onto his behavior. Quickly, he tried to form a response as vague as possible. "It's nothing. I was just…wondering…"

"About what?"

Damn her persistence! At this point he knew…there was no turning back. "I was wondering if…if you would…um…like…like to…"

"If I would like to…?"

"S-Spend the day with me tomorrow?"

At last. After so many months of losing sleep over this, he finally asked the question. But he was not out of the woods yet. She still had to accept his offer.

"Hm…" She looked off into the distance as if thinking of a response. With each passing second, he could feel his heart beginning to sink. Finally she smiled, not a cunning grin or a teasing smirk, but a genuine, warm smile. He noted that it was one of the most beautiful assets to her character that he had ever seen.

"I would like to." She said, and he felt himself exhaling all the breath he was holding in. "But…what will we be doing?"

"Whatever you would like to do, that will be fine with me." Honestly, he didn't care. As long as he was with her, that was all that mattered. But of course, he wouldn't say that to her now…at least not for the time being.

At that moment, Espella came back to the room with a paper bag. "This is rosemary herb bread with basil. Will you give this to Jean?"

"I will. Thanks for having me over today." Eve said as she accepted the package. "Well then, I shall be going now. Take care, Espella…" She paused as she looked at Zacharias. "See you again soon, Zacharias."

Espella looked confused as they watched her friend exit the bakery, but Zacharias on the other hand felt like a giant weight had been lifted from his shoulders. Once the door shut closed, Espella quickly rounded on him.

"So, how did it go? Did you ask her? What did she say?"

He merely chuckled. "It went just as how I thought it would be: perfect."


	3. First Date

Espella had to find it quite funny (and quite pitiful as well) at how quickly nerves can get to a person. When he finally mustered the courage to ask Eve out on a date after months of stressing out about it, Zacharias was finally brimming with confidence about himself. But now in the hours leading up to the date, his confidence quickly plummeted right back down to nothing, and now he couldn't stop shaking like Constantine after a cold bath. If Espella had to pick a name for it, she would say that Zacharias's behavior was really…bipolar. Of course, she'd never state that directly to him.

"I don't know what to do, Espella." The young girl was in his room, watching him pace back and forth. Instead of his armor, he was wearing his more casual clothing of a simple coat, a button down shirt, and a pair of jeans. "What if I look like an idiot in front of her? I already humiliated myself in front of the entire town after that incident with the dog!"

For someone who was very popular among the ladies, he sure was on the edge when it came to one of them. Espella surmised that he had some major self-esteem issues.

"I highly doubt you could make your first date worse than that incident." She responded. "Just be yourself and make sure she's not the one doing all the talking. You'll know you're in the clear when she loves you for you."

"But how?!"

Was he actually asking how to be himself? _Too bad they don't teach a Zacharias Barnham 101 class here in town. _Espella had to bite down on her tongue to not let that slip out. She had been spending so much time with Eve that she was starting to develop a sarcastic side to her.

"Don't worry about it!" She tried to reassure him instead. "You're going to be fine. You've been beating yourself up over your feelings for too long now. I refuse to see you botch this opportunity in getting together with Eve!"

Zacharias sighed; now he had to impress two women, and he'd never be able to live it down if he failed one or the other…or both. "I know, Espella. I'm just nervous…I've never asked a maiden as fair as she is to go on an outing with me."

"Just remember that it's strictly platonic. Just two friends spending time together."

"Right…"

"Where are you going again?"

"She left a note on my door this morning to meet her at the gates of the town around the afternoon. There's a field nearby that people often go to for picnics."

"Ah, perfect! There will be other people around you, so it shouldn't be that awkward, especially since you're pretty much a celebrity among the town folk. You won't let them see the flustered side of yourself, will you?"

"O-Of course not!" He curled his fist with determination. "I have to keep up my professionalism!"

"Good, that's exactly what I want to hear." She smiled, crossing her arms. "Then again, you may be due for some practice since you haven't stepped into the courtroom for quite a while."

He cocked an eyebrow at her. "Practice? On what?"

"On keeping a conversation going, of course! And making sure she doesn't know that you're nervous about spending time with her. Now then, just be yourself and I'm going to pretend to be Eve."

Dear Lord, she was dead serious about this. "Espella, this is ridiculous…"

"The only thing ridiculous here," She pointed at him accusingly. "Is the fact that you let yourself become all tongue tied the moment Eve is brought up. What, do you undress her in your mind and picture her in all sorts of raunchy poses?"

"I-I beg your pardon?!" That was a new one…and coming from Espella no less. His face was starting to heat up like the room was on fire. "Why, I never…!"

"Oh, don't take it so personally Mr. Barnham. I was merely pretending to be like Eve. Was that spot on?"

"Q-Quite so…maybe a little too much…" Even if she was just pretending, he still felt like a small part of him curled up and died just now with that outburst. To think that there used to be a time where she was afraid of him… "So, how is this going to work?"

"Simple. Just talk to me as you would with Eve. Think about what you want to say."

He exhaled deeply, not knowing how exactly this was going to go. Eve and Espella were two, completely different people with completely opposite personalities. He'd be damned if he actually ended up calling Eve "Espella" on the date. That could only go so well.

"Here, I'll start." Espella announced. She cleared her throat and tried to speak in a lower tone, "Well, Zacharias, you are looking rather nice today."

Would Eve really say that to him? Of course, he'd be very flattered if she did say that to him. In fact, he couldn't remember a time where he received a compliment from her, unless he counted that time where she praised him for his efforts when he gave her that pastry, though looking back on it, she probably just felt sorry for him.

He snapped back to reality when he realized Espella was glaring at him, probably for not responding. "Oh! Um, why thank you. You are looking rather nice yourself…Eve." Espella made some sort of gesture, indicating for him to keep going. He resisted the urge to roll his eyes and continued, "So…how fare you on this fine day?"

Espella gave him a thumbs up. "Quite well, thank you. I must say, it's so lovely out right now."

"Yes it is. A perfect time to be outside. Uh…"

Great…he was only a few seconds into this practice session and he already ran out of things to say. If this were a real date, he knew he'd be inwardly panicking right now. Espella, sensing his distress, broke out of her Eve character to give him advice.

"Have you ever been to the fields before? Ask her to show you around her favorite spot."

"O-Okay. So, Eve, where do you have in mind to go?"

"There's this big tree in the middle that has a nice shady spot under it. We could sit over there."

"Sounds rather pleasant. Well, lead the way and I shall follow. Oh!" Zacharias was planning on giving her a pastry while they were on the date. He didn't have it with him now, so he just acted like he was handing it over to her. "Here, this is for you. Tis an éclair that I baked myself."

Espella pretended to be grateful. "Why, Zacharias! How kind of you. This looks—"

"A very nice gesture indeed. You are quite the definition of chivalry, Zacharias."

The two immediately whipped around upon hearing a new voice join the conversation. Eve casually leaned against the door frame of the room, smirking with amusement at their antics.

"Oh, no, please don't mind me." She joked. "I wouldn't want to interfere with your little 'date.'"

Now she was just making fun of them at this point. Espella shook her head and stammered defensively, "H-How long have you been standing there?"

"Oh, for a little while or two. I kind of wanted to see how this would go. Nice impersonation of me, Espella, though your expressions could use a little more work."

"M-Ms. Eve," Zacharias butted in before anymore witty comments could arise. "What are you doing here?"

"I didn't have a lot of work today, so I decided to come over a little early, if that's alright. Are you ready to go?"

"Ah…um…" He glanced over at Espella for help, who just nodded her head in encouragement. "Y-Yes. We can leave right now. Just let me grab a few pastries from the bakery first…"

"Take your time. I'll be waiting right here."

Zacharias nodded and quickly sped out of the room, careful to not trip and fall down the stairs on the way out. When he was gone from the room, Espella turned to her friend with an unamused expression on her face. "He's already on edge, why did you have to mess with him like that?"

Eve shrugged, a sly grin coming to her face. "He's fun to play with."

* * *

"Come on, over here. Espella wasn't pretending when she said this was my favorite spot in the fields."

Zacharias didn't bother to answer her verbally as he gave off a stiff nod; he was still rather mortified about Eve walking in on he and Espella roleplaying a pretend date. He didn't want to risk doing or saying anything foolish now. At least the tranquility of the fields were giving him a peace of mind, except there was one problem…

There was no one there. It was completely empty, not a person to be seen for miles around except for Eve and himself. So much for trying to keep up his celebrity image for the townsfolk. Things just never seemed to go the way he planned. It was almost as if Fate enjoyed toying with him.

"Oi! What's the matter?" Eve's voice brought Zacharias out of his daydreaming. He realized that she was already a few kilometers ahead of him. She quickly ran back to him and grabbed his hand. "I swear, you walk faster in your armor. Let's go, we're getting close."

After making sure Eve was more focused on leading them to her intended spot in the fields, Zacharias consciously let go of her hand and quickly placed it back at his side, too embarrassed to hold onto it any longer. Soon, they were at the tree and the both of them halted as they took in the sight of the empty grasslands.

"So, you've never been to the fields before, Zacharias?" She asked him.

Luckily, he still had half a mind to know that she was talking to him and replied, "Yes. I've heard about them, but I've just been too busy to actually visit them. Besides, I never really had a purpose of going to them before anyways."

"Well, now you do. Come, sit."

He immediately obeyed. Eve hid a smile at the way he reacted and just sat down next to him. A feeling of unease began to swirl within her after a few seconds of being with him like this. She had gotten him out here…now what? This was her first date she'd ever been on, with the man who used to work under her no less, and for once she didn't know what to say to him. It wasn't like they could discuss work as they were no longer inquisitors. The town was making much more progress than before, which they already knew. She resisted the urge to groan…this was getting awkward so fast. Unbeknownst to her, Zacharias was suffering from the same internal turmoil as she.

_I hope he doesn't see how nervous I am._

_I hope she doesn't see how nervous I am._

Feeling like something needed to be said at that moment, the both of them turned to each other at the same time, but their words remained on their tongues the moment their gazes locked completely onto each other. Eve found herself incredibly immersed in his eyes, and it was the first time she ever actually noticed the tiny features of his face before.

_Have his eyes always been that intense grey color? When did he get that scar above his brow? And…I don't think I've ever seen such a gentle gaze on him before…_

"Ms. …Eve?"

Eve slightly jumped as she was brought out of her daze by Zacharias's voice. She immediately tried to regain her composure as she cleared her throat, "O-Oh, forgive me. I, um, I thought I saw something of interest, but…it vanished. Ah, tis nothing. Forget about it."

He nodded in understanding, though on the inside he was grinning with delight. He caught Eve off guard, and for once she was the one getting flustered. It was enough to calm his nerves down somewhat.

"Well then," He said, changing the subject as he pulled out his satchel. "Here. I actually did bake you a pastry. I hope it is to your liking."

He handed her a freshly-made bread roll, lightly buttered and no lumps. She tried to keep her hand steady as she accepted the pastry.

"Thank you, I appreciate it."

He smiled at her as he retrieved a piece of bread for himself, eyeing her intently as she took a bite into hers. Her eyes widened and she swallowed before speaking,

"This is very professionally made. And you're the one who baked this?"

"Ms. Éclair is a great teacher. I was able to learn rather quickly thanks to her." He responded, trying not to remember how strict she had been with him, lecturing him on the importance of bread, and forcing him to eat every roll he failed to bake correctly. He was surprised he hadn't gained weight from all of the yeast and flour yet.

"Well, she certainly did a great job." She chuckled. "So…how have you been lately?"

"Quite well, thank you. And yourself?"

Espella was a genius. He'd have to bake her a cake as thanks for all of her help. The longer they talked with each other, the less awkward the situation was becoming and the more comfortable they were to keep the conversation going. There were times where they had nothing to say, but that was alright. During those moments Eve would steal glances at him when he wasn't aware, studying him carefully before he noticed. Everything was going absolutely perfect…

Until the skies started to darken.

"Are those…rain clouds?" Eve asked, indicating to the dark gray masses that were overpowering the deep azure color of the sky. The wind was also starting to pick up rather quickly as well.

"Indeed…" He muttered. "'Twould not do to get rained on at this moment. We better—"

A loud clash of thunder immediately cut him off. Almost immediately afterwards, a heavy downpour of rain fell from the skies. Zacharias quickly gathered his satchel and the two of them immediately sprinted out of the fields. Eve gripped onto his hand as they ran, and for once he didn't mind holding onto it this time.

"I forgot!" She called out over the loud pattering of the rain. "There was supposed to be an intense storm today that would last until tomorrow! At least that's what Jean said!"

"You're welcome to come to the bakery and wait it out!"

"No, I shouldn't! Besides, my father's house is close by."

"Very well, I shall take you there! Here, allow me."

He paused as he took off his coat and held it protectively over the both of them. Eve ignored the fact that he had his arm around her shoulders and let him lead her to her father's estate. There was a small light flickering in the window, meaning Jean and her family hadn't yet gone to bed. They stopped once they got to the front entrance, Eve still huddled close to Zacharias under his coat.

"I have to say," She spoke. "I enjoyed myself this afternoon."

"I did as well." He said in agreement. "Tis a shame it had to be so crudely interrupted."

"Yes, well…I guess I shall see you soon. Thank you for walking me home."

"My pleasure, Ms. Eve. Have a good evening." He turned around to leave before she called out to him again.

"Wait, Zacharias!" She cried. "…The rain is still coming down rather hard. You're welcome to…"

He shook his head, even though he really wanted to take her up on her unspoken offer. "I apologize, but I'm afraid I must decline. I am needed at the bakery, unfortunately."

"I see." She seemed to be disappointed, but nonetheless just nodded. "Then try to stay dry. Also..." Her voice suddenly trailed off, and he thought he caught a small tint of red coming to her cheeks. "I…wouldn't mind if we did this again…if you want."

He was almost too excited to reply. "Of course! The next time we both are free, we shall go out together again."

"I will like that very much." She smiled. "Well…take care, Zacharias."

As he walked back to the bakery, Zacharias didn't notice the annoying, cold raindrops continuously pelting his coat. His heart felt so light and he couldn't stop himself from smiling at how smoothly the date went. And what's more…she wanted to go out with him again! He didn't want to get too far ahead of himself, but he swore that there was some sort of connection going on between them. Even if they were going slow, he had a feeling something was going to happen between them.

"Zacharias Barnham! Get in here before you catch a cold, child!"

Patty's voice sounding in his ears reminded him that his personal life had to be put on hold as he still had a job to do in this town. Luckily, his boss didn't ask that many questions about his whereabouts unless she absolutely had to know, so he was able to go back to his room without any hindrances. Espella had gone to bed, so he'd have to tell her how everything went the next day. He peeled his drenched clothes off of himself and laid them out next to the window sill. He dried himself off with a towel as best he could before getting into his bed and falling asleep, prepared to face whatever challenges the following day would pose.

* * *

**Don't worry, this story isn't dead. My reason for not updating in a while: I've actually been working on the future chapters for this story (I hope that's a good reason). It's strange; this was originally supposed to be a oneshot. But next thing I knew, I had to make it a two-shot, but now I have a plot going along. So I'm honestly not sure where this story is headed. Thanks to everyone waiting with patience. I promise I will finish this story. On a side note, the chemistry is finally starting to happen between our two adorkable inquisitors and sarcastic!Espella is really growing on me. Well, till next time.**


	4. Everything Is So Complicated

Since the first date had went so well, the two aimed to have an outing at least once a month. However, they quickly found out that the more time they spent together, the more they wanted to keep seeing each other more often. So once a month started to turn into twice a month, then once a week, then as many times as they could whenever the opportunity presented itself. After a few months of this, it had gotten to the point where Eve would randomly show up at the bakery, and with his boss's permission, he would go out with her and decide on a whim on what they were going to do. Everything was just going great, and Zacharias had to admit that he was extremely amazed at how much progress they had made over the span of these recent months. Eve was becoming less reserved and talked with him as if they'd known each other since childhood. He almost couldn't believe how easy it was to talk to her, and he could only chuckle at how hopeless he was when he found it hard to even speak to her before they started hanging out. They enjoyed themselves in each other's company, and Eve was starting to become more comfortable with physical contact. She would embrace him whenever they saw each other, and occasionally leaned on his shoulder when they were sitting down when they were by themselves. As perfect as things were between them, there was one thing that was still unsettling him, and that was his fear of her just wanting to remain friends.

Ultimately, he wanted to be romantically involved with Eve more than anything else, but at the start of their relationship, he just had a short term goal of getting to know her on a platonic level. Now that he had achieved that goal, he didn't know what to do from there. It wasn't like he could flat out ask Eve if she saw him as a friend or not; it would be too awkward for the both of them. At the same time, he had to know how she felt towards him without trying to sound like a desperate, lonely teenager whose hormones were out of control, which was the exact opposite of how he wanted her to see him. Again, he started to feel like the bane of their relationship hinged on whatever decision he was going to make. Just the thought of doing that unnerved him. He swore, it was a wonder he hadn't gone mad yet.

"Love is so complicated." He had told Constantine one night as he brushed the dog's white fur. "No matter how hard you try to impress the one you have feelings for, it always seems like you're making a mistake."

Espella had suggested that he begin to drop hints that he liked her, but he thought that would be too risky. She told him that love was all about taking risks and even he knew that, but still…he needed to get the timing right.

"You know, I could always just ask her how she feels about you on your behalf." She offered, but he just chuckled and shook his head.

"Thank you, Espella, but this is something I must do on my own. Besides, you've done enough for us already, and for that I thank you immensely."

As much help as Espella was, he knew that he couldn't rely on her all the time in his quest to earn Eve's heart. There were some things about Eve that he wished to discover on his own, that way he could feel more connected with her. If he felt led to, then he would ask her what he was to her.

That night, the two went to a small restaurant near the edge of the town per her recommendation. It wasn't that high class given its location, but the atmosphere was nice and quiet, perfect for the two to converse privately with each other. Once they ordered their food at the counter, they chose a table in the back where no one could disturb them.

"How did you discover this place again?" He asked once they sat down.

"You see some interesting things on the way to the Eldritch Woods." Eve explained around a sip of water. "This particular establishment just caught my attention when I was walking from the Inquisitors' Office and decided to check it out."

"I see. Tis a quaint place, isn't it?"

"Indeed. Which was why I was drawn to it rather quickly. Espella doesn't even know about it yet."

His heart lifted a little at that statement. Eve showed him one of her favorite places before showing Espella, her own best friend. Maybe that could be a sign of her feelings for him. They continued on making small talk until their meals arrived. Zacharias noted that as he was about to take the first bite of roasted chicken, Eve was watching him intently, as if anticipating his reaction. He didn't keep her waiting for long, and his eyes widened a little when the flavor hit his taste buds; it was incredible.

"Well?" She inquired him. "What do you think?"

He swallowed before answering, "I find it a wonder that this place isn't overflowing with customers. The food is fantastic!"

Eve beamed, almost as if she had cooked the meal herself and the compliment was for her. "I'm glad you regard it so highly. Maybe we shall frequent this place more often in the future."

"I, for one, wouldn't mind that if we did."

As they ate, Eve asked him how he was faring at the bakery, to which he responded that he was improving his baking skills very steadily, and that soon his boss was going to teach him how to decorate cakes. He in turn asked her what she was going to do after reconstruction was finished, and she replied that Espella's father was intending to have her in charge of future projects with the town regarding tourists and new people interested in participating in the research. While they were having casual conversation, there was one question in the back of Zacharias's mind that kept pestering him to ask it, but he knew he couldn't…even though he really wanted to.

_I was wondering…do you think of me as a close friend? Or maybe…something more than that?_

"Zacharias?" Eve's voice caught him out of his stupor. "Are you alright? You've grown quiet all of a sudden."

He clenched his fist under the table in frustration. "N-No, tis nothing. I think I just blanked out for a spell."

"Alright then…"

For some reason, she didn't sound convinced that that was his reason for not talking. Nevertheless, she just shrugged and continued to eat her meal while he did likewise. He was about to ask her something else when all of a sudden, a third person walked in and came up to their table. Or rather, intrude was probably a more correct term.

"Well now, isn't this cute?" With the way this man slurred his words, there was no mistaking that he was intoxicated. "This little couple making eyes at each other."

"We are…" Zacharias attempted to clear things up, but Eve quickly took the chance.

"We are _not _a couple." She seethed, putting emphasis on the "not." Zacharias nodded his head in agreement, though deep down he felt a little sting in his chest with the way she said that. It almost sounded like she was flustered that someone would assume that they were together.

Unfortunately, her bluntness had no effect on this stranger, and he produced a sick grin as he tried to test her limits. "Is that so? Well then…since you're not with this sad sap, does that mean you're on the market?"

Eve nearly gasped as her face turned a deep shade of red while Zacharias bit the inside of his cheek to prevent himself from spewing a rage filled comment. He could take a mocking or two, but when someone dared to talk about Eve in such a way…like she had no value…his patience with this man was quickly depleting to nothing.

"I…I'm not interested." Eve shot back, trying to sound aloof and keeping her embarrassment in check. She instinctively reached for the dagger that she normally kept on her waist, but then she realized she didn't bring it with her.

At that moment, the man felt a little daring and decided to slide into a chair next to her and put his arm around her tightly, so as not to let her pull away. "C'mon now. Just broke up with my girlfriend, new in town, and feeling very lonely. I'm a nice guy…all I need is a nice woman who can make my lonely days bright again…and to enjoy her company whenever I can, so to speak…and you babe aren't half bad to look at anyways…"

Zacharias caught the seductive tone in the man's voice, and he immediately shot up from his seat which nearly knocked the chair over. The few people in the restaurant as well as the workers all turned around to see what was going on.

"Enough!" He barked. "You've the nerve to walk in and interrupt our meal with your obnoxious tone and indecent behavior. Leave our table at once, and don't you _dare talk to her in such a way in my presence again."_

He was fuming. Venom dripped from his words as he practically spat out the warning, but the man looked at him unafraid.

"Or else what?" He challenged. "Who are you, her brother? Or just some convenient dog she carries around to make her feel better about herself while you know you can't get anything from her?"

That snapped his last nerve. Zacharias knew that if he had his sword on him right now, this man wouldn't have a tongue to speak with. He knew he was a hot-headed person, but he wanted to show Eve that he could keep his temper in check anytime so he could impress her. But right now…he couldn't hold back anymore. It was almost like his body was moving on its own as he forcefully grabbed the man's shirt and yanked him up from his seat. Before he or anyone could stop him, he sent his fist flying, anger fueling his drive, until it perfectly connected with the man's nose. A loud crack was heard throughout the restaurant as the stranger stumbled back from the force of the punch until he tripped and landed on a nearby table, causing it to fracture underneath him. Blood poured from his throbbing nose which was most likely broken, and when the world stopped spinning around him, his vision focused onto an angry Zacharias glaring daggers into his soul.

"Leave, you wretched lout, unless you don't want to wake up tomorrow." His words burned with the assumption that this most likely wasn't an empty threat, which sent the man staggering to his feet and dashing out of the restaurant.

After that whole ordeal ended, Zacharias finally came back to his senses and realized what he had done. Without bothering to acknowledge the other stares at him, he hesitantly glanced over at Eve, who just looked completely astounded as to what had just happened. Conflicting emotions began to rise inside him. He didn't regret what he had done to that cur, but…he had lost it in front of Eve. He hoped she would never see that violent side to him, but now…she just bore witness to it! Unable to think of anything else to do, he merely beckoned out to her.

"I am sorry that that man ruined our evening, Ms. Eve." He muttered. "Allow me to walk you home."

Without saying anything, she just nodded and silently followed him out of the restaurant. Neither of them dared speak a word to each other as they walked home in the darkness. Zacharias was still beating himself up over losing all control of himself in public. He didn't even want to know what Eve thought of him now. In fact, he probably messed up whatever chance he had to impress her after making himself look like a stereotypical pub fighter to her. If Sir Top Hat were here, he would probably say something along the lines of, "creating a violent scene in front of a lady is not the way of a gentleman." Eve deserved a gentleman...not a rough brute like himself. These thoughts only made him feel even worse about the entire situation. Finally, they were at the Belduke residence. Zacharias was planning on wishing her a short goodnight before leaving by himself when she suddenly caught his wrist.

"Zacharias." She said in a commanding tone. "Look at me."

He reluctantly did, only to find that she was smiling gratefully at him. "Ms. Eve…?"

"I didn't get a chance to properly thank you." She spoke softer now. "No one has ever stuck up for me like that before."

"I couldn't let that…cad talk about you in such a degrading tone." He admitted lowly, trying not to run his mouth. "Tis not right…I had to put him in his place. But…I didn't mean to…get riled up like that. Forgive me for bringing unwanted attention to ourselves."

"Zacharias, don't apologize. I'm actually…flattered that you would go to such lengths to defend me."

"You're very important to me." For once, he didn't feel embarrassed about admitting that to her. He almost wanted to ask that question that had been nagging him this whole time. "Ms. Eve…I was wondering…do you…"

No, he couldn't do it. Not yet. Eve tried to urge him to finish whatever he was trying to say, but he just shook his head. "Tis nothing. Never mind."

She sighed, but decided not to question him further about it. "Very well then. Goodnight, Zacharias. You're a very good friend to me."

"Friend…" Zacharias repeated. _Of course, that's all she thinks of me as._

"Yes. Maybe even a brother." She quickly tacked on that last part as if it was a last-minute thought. She twirled her hair around awkwardly. "I'm sorry, was that—"

"No. I am glad you think of me so dear to you." He smiled in spite of himself. "Sleep well, Ms. Eve."

"You too…Zacharias."

The moment Eve walked in and shut the door behind her, Zacharias got as far away from the estate as he could before collapsing onto his knees, burying his face in his hands. He blew it. There was nothing he could do now. It was all hopeless.

_Meanwhile…_

"How did your evening go, Lady Belduke?" Jean asked as she entered Eve's room. When she got no reply from the woman, she tried again. "Lady Belduke?"

Eve slapped a hand to her forehead, mumbling under her breath, much to the other girl's confusion. "'Friend?' 'Brother?' Is that really the best I could do?!" She pounded her fists onto the bed's mattress, sighing in exasperation. "Ugh! After everything he's done for me, how could I have not been honest with him right then and there?!"

* * *

**Uh-oh. Conflict. By the way, in my headcanon Eve lives with Jean's family at her father's estate, in case you all are wondering.**


	5. Clarity

Coming to terms with the fact that he never got a chance to reveal his feelings to Eve before finding out that she didn't feel the same towards him, and thus never being able to go any further in their relationship, have caused him great difficulty in the weeks following the incident at the restaurant. Therefore, in an effort to forget about his heartache and the unrequited feelings he still had for her, Zacharias busied himself as much as he could with the bakery and finishing up whatever reconstruction projects were going on in the town. Patty had caught onto his sudden change in behavior, Espella too, but he refused to tell either of them what had happened. At least until Patty one day asked if he was planning on going on another date with Eve, to which he almost furiously replied that he had too much work to complete to even focus on the woman herself. Patty never brought up the subject again, but Espella on the other hand wouldn't be so easily swayed. She caught him during one of his lunch breaks (when Patty forced him to take one), and more or less demanded him to tell her what was going on.

"I don't want to talk about it, Espella!" He barked. "What goes on between Eve and I is strictly our business alone."

"You weren't like that when you were coming to me for help on everything." She huffed. "Did something happen?"

"Espella, I already said—"

"I don't understand!" She cut him off. "Everything was going fine between you. I'm surprised you haven't bought her a ring yet."

Espella was treading on thin ice, she knew, but she wasn't going to let that faze her. The worst thing Zacharias could ever do to her was lock her up and throw her into the hellfire for witchcraft, which was no longer his authority anymore after the last witch trial.

Still, she couldn't prevent herself from flinching when he suddenly brought his fist down hard onto a freshly made lump of dough. "Not everyone is fated to have a happy ending, Espella! Even you must know this. In life, you either win or lose, and it is very clear that I have lost. What can I do about it?! The answer is nothing. I can't do anything about this besides accepting it and moving on!"

True, not everyone could get what they wanted in life, but Espella sensed there was something not right with all this. Zacharias and Eve were probably the most compatible people in Labyrinthia, always working together before and after the truth of the town came to light. People even started making bets on when they were going to get hitched. Eve's cool headedness balanced out Zacharias's fiery personality, and the two always fought hard and cleverly to figure out the truth in the end. They brought about the best in each other, whether they saw it or not.

However, Espella decided that they needed to see that more than ever now. She crossed her arms defiantly and took on that tone Mr. Wright used whenever he was about to make a point. "You don't believe that."

Zacharias looked at her. "Come again?"

"Think about it. You've worked hard to get to where you are with Eve. There was definitely a connection established between you two. You even proved to her how special she is to you, and how you would put her and her needs way before your own concerns."

"I fail to see what that has to do with any of this."

"You spend all your time together at every chance you get." Espella continued, ignoring his remark. "Then something goes wrong, I don't know what, but something happens, and you just give up? That doesn't sound like the Zacharias Barnham I know…"

He was dumbfounded. Espella really didn't understand the gravity of this situation. "She told me that I was only a friend to her."

"And?"

"'And?'" Zacharias reiterated in disbelief. "Espella…she doesn't feel the same way. I do not know how anymore straightforward that can get."

"Did she use those exact words? 'Only a friend?'"

What exactly was this girl getting at?! "W-Well…she just said it as I was about to take my leave. I didn't ask her what she felt about me…she even said I was also like a brother as well."

"Hm…" Espella put a finger to her lips as she thought it over. "Then I doubt you can conclude from there that she doesn't reciprocate your love."

"H-How do you mean?"

"I know Eve. Whatever the circumstance was, I'm sure she said that to lighten the mood a bit."

"Whatever her reason was, I do not see the point you are trying to make." Zacharias at this point was wishing that Espella would just let this go; having this ordeal brought up again and again was still hard on his heart. Unfortunately, she was not done with him yet.

She extended her finger towards him, much like Mr. Wright and Mr. Layton did to the witnesses or whenever they were solving puzzles. "My point is…you never got a chance to tell her how you felt about her. Why would you think it was a good idea to stop pursuing a relationship with her after she called you a friend? Isn't that how you wanted to start out with her? By being her friend?"

Zacharias almost didn't know how to respond. He replied in a low voice, "I…I did want to be her friend. But…"

"But what? That's exactly what you did, Mr. Barnham! You became her friend in these recent months. She had assured you of that when you dropped her off at her house after your last date. Who knows, maybe she had fallen for you during the times you spent together, and is still probably waiting for you to confess to her! You know how shy she is, and that she doesn't like making the first move!"

"Espella…" Zacharias bit the inside of his cheek. Of course, she was right! How could he have been so quick to judge the situation before he even knew the whole story? Maybe some part of that inquisitor, who always jumped to conclusions before considering all the possibilities, still remained in him.

"I can't believe this…" He muttered. "I've been avoiding her…because I let my feelings blind my judgment…"

Romance has no place on the battlefield…

Because these feelings will cloud your mind and make you act irrationally at the most inappropriate of times.

"I have to make this right again!" Zacharias shouted, curling his hand into a fist. "I cannot imagine the pain I've been causing to her by distancing myself with no astute reasons. I must…"

"No." Espella stopped him. "Let me take care of things for once. I understand, this is your business and not mine. But still…you are walking dangerously on the edge, Mr. Barnham. I can't stand to let you fall. Please, just to play it safe."

She was probably right, he decided. After letting that misunderstanding get in between their friendship…he didn't know how Eve would react if he attempted to explain everything to her. For all he knew, he might end up doing more harm than good. And he knew that he couldn't let this situation get any worse than it already has.

"Very well then." Zacharias shook her hand. "I shall continue performing my duties in this kitchen and leave this matter in your capable hands."

Espella nodded. "Don't worry. I'll get to the bottom of all this."

* * *

A knock came at the door of the bakery, and Espella was quick to answer it. She smiled as she welcomed the person inside.

"Come right on in, Eve." She said as she shut the door behind her friend.

"What happened? What's the emergency?" Eve spoke quickly in her business-like tone.

"Emergency?"

"Yes! You told me to come over immediately. So I suspected that something urgent was happening."

"Oh, _that…_" Espella giggled. "You see…I didn't know how else to get your attention, so I sent that note to you hoping it would get you over here quicker."

Eve looked like one of her blood vessel just burst. "Espella, you've been negatively influenced by that Fey girl! How childish can you be?!"

"Now, now." She attempted to calm her friend down. "You're not exactly busy, are you?"

"Well, no, but…"

"And you're already here, so why not make yourself at home?"

"I…suppose I could stay here for a few moments." Eve sighed. "Besides…I've been wanting to discuss some things with you for a long time anyways."

"Of course. Have a seat over here."

Eve complied as Espella went over to the kitchen to grab some pastries for the both of them to snack on. When she returned, she noticed that her friend was staring glumly at her feet, looking very depressed about something. She didn't even notice Espella placing the tray of treats down in front of her until the younger girl cleared her throat.

"Oh! Forgive me." She said, trying to get her mind back to the present. "A lot of things have been on my mind as of late."

"Ah, don't worry about it." Espella frowned, already knowing what has gotten her friend so down. "You look rather upset about something. What's wrong, Eve?"

"Ever the observant one." Eve said with a dry laugh before going back to her despondent mood. "I…I made a horrible mistake…"

Espella sat with patience as she waited for Eve to find the right words to say to her. Speaking in barely a whisper, the older woman said, "I...you know that Zacharias Barnham and I have been going out to spend time with each other recently?"

"Of course. He really enjoys them too. He's always coming back happy and full of life."

"Yes, well…you see, the last night we spent together, he was taking me back to my house, and I…I kind of…didn't know what to say to him as he was about to leave…so I told him that he was a friend to me...or a brother." She didn't bother telling Espella about the fight he got into at the restaurant.

"Uh-huh." Espella nodded her head, prompting Eve to go on.

"But…I sounded so stupidly in front of him! I…I don't know when, but I started to develop feelings for him. I wanted to tell him that I…that I liked him, but…I-I couldn't bring myself to do that, and instead I said _that _to him…and now I'm afraid that he thinks of me as only a friend!"

_Oh, the irony is high in this one. _Espella thought as she played with her fingers. She didn't know how to answer, but luckily Eve continued to vent her frustrations.

"I don't know why I said that…" She mumbled. "I guess I just got caught up in my nerves that I didn't think about what to say. I don't know what to do now. I haven't been able to see him as often. It almost feels like he's been avoiding me…"

"Aunt Patty's been increasing his workload since he has gotten better with his baking!" Espella quickly interjected. She didn't want Eve to know that Zacharias has actually been intentionally avoiding her. Her friend was already upset enough about this, she didn't want her pain to increase. "So, Eve. You really do like Zach…I mean Mr. Barnham?"

Eve slowly nodded. "Yes, I…I have fallen in love with him."

"Really?!"

"I-I think so." She slammed her fists on the table in frustration. "Oh, this is so infuriating!"

Espella raised an eyebrow. "But…how so?"

"Didn't I just tell you, Espella? I LOVE him! Do you not know what this means?"

The poor girl had never been so confused in her life. Wasn't being in love with someone a good thing? "Uh…"

"It means I cannot stop thinking about him all the time! It's been so distracting! And what's more…I can't help it if he only sees me as a friend!"

Espella touched her friend's hand reassuringly. "Well, I think he feels the same way."

"He…he does?" Eve looked at her curiously. "What makes you say so?"

Espella took in a deep breath as she began to explain everything to her friend, about how he was so hopelessly in love with her, how his feelings for her have been causing him to lose sleep, about how he struggled and purposely put off trying to ask her to spend time with him, the excitement he had when he finally was able to do it only to lose it a few hours later when he didn't know how to go about the date, and the more stress he felt when he thought about asking her how she felt about him. Throughout this, Eve listened intently to her. The corners of her lips slightly curved upwards whenever Espella described the mild anxiety attacks he suffered trying to think about how to impress her as she was able to picture that perfectly in her head. Then she remembered the confidence with which he carried himself on their dates, the warm feelings in her chest whenever their hands touched, his endearing smile when he opened doors and pulled out chairs for her, and finally…the ferocity he fought with when he valiantly defended her from an intoxicated brute. He was two sides of the same coin…and somehow…he made her fall in love with that.

"I see…" She said calmly once Espella was done. "I don't know why I haven't noticed it before…"

"Well, he's always been too nervous to tell you for fear that you'd reject him." Espella responded. "No offense, Eve, but you're still rather reserved and that probably put his nerves on edge. In fact, he's been thinking that you don't feel as strongly towards him as he does towards you, especially after you told him he was a friend."

Eve let a weak chuckle escape from her. "Heh…he's a boy, not a man." At least now she had gotten clarity from his side. It still didn't change the fact that he still didn't know of her feelings for him, and she groaned out of exasperation as she laid her head on the table. "Oh, Espella, what am I going to do? I can't get him off my mind…and I'm starting to have…desires…"

"Desires? What kind of desires?" Espella cocked her head to the side, curious as to what her friend meant.

Eve bit down on her lip. That last part wasn't supposed to come out. Part of her wanted to be blunt and respond with _I want to fuck him senseless all night_, but she didn't want to corrupt precious little Espella and have her sink down to her level, even though it was the truth. Telling her that she also felt wet between her legs whenever she thought of him wasn't going to be any better either.

Instead, she sighed deeply, bringing a hand to her temple. "Never fall in love, Espella. You are too pure and too innocent for its lewdness. Besides…I want him to open up to me personally about his feelings before we go any further in our relationship."

And that was the end of that conversation. After a few more hours, Eve decided to leave before it could get too dark. Once she bade her friend a good evening, Espella quickly made her way to Zacharias's room, already formulating a plan in her mind. "I may not be in love, but I wouldn't say that I'm _that_ innocent. It's high time these two told each other how they really feel."

* * *

"Y-You want me to invite her over?" Zacharias exclaimed. "But the bakery…"

"Won't be open tomorrow because Aunt Patty and I will be gone for the weekend." He just stared at her. Espella shook her head. "I told her about this wonderful bread shop that I've heard my father talking about. She and I are going to go to London tomorrow with him to visit it. Besides, this will be your perfect chance to spend time alone together at the bakery."

"I know, but…she only sees me as a friend. I shan't risk destroying what we have for my own selfish desires."

"Wrong, Barnham."

Zacharias looked at her with curiosity. "What?"

"Eve was denying her feelings for you this whole time. In truth, she feels the same way as you do for her."

"You…You mean…" He almost couldn't believe this. "Espella, if this is some cruel joke of yours…"

"Tis not a joke!" She shouted. "I wouldn't dare play with your heart like that. She told me this afternoon that she loves you and cannot stop thinking about you. The reason she mistakenly called you a friend was because she didn't know how to admit her feelings for you on the front. She got…tongue tied, so to speak. She loves you, Barnham…"

Zacharias did not…could not say anything. The happiness in his heart at that moment was so intense, he thought his heart was going to burst. Still, he could not prevent a wide smile from coming to his lips as he replayed those words over and over again. _She loves you, Barnham…she loves me. She really does love me…_

Espella smiled at his reaction and continued, "So now that you know her feelings for you, wouldn't you say it's only fair that she knows how you feel about her as well?"

She made a valid point, he reasoned. To have an intimate relationship with her was what he wanted more than anything else right now. He felt complete whenever he was with her. He couldn't remember another time where he enjoyed himself so much whenever he was in her presence. He…needed her. It finally dawned on him. The moment had arrived for him to take that giant leap of faith. Whether he wanted to or not, he had to be up front with her now. No more running around like a coward; it was time to be a man.

"I understand." He nodded. "Very well then. Tomorrow…I will tell her."

Espella nodded as she patted him on the shoulder. "I wish you the very best, Mr. Barnham. Goodnight."

Before she could leave, Zacharias suddenly stopped her. "Wait, Espella."

"Hm? What is it?"

She had done so much for him. It was because of her that he was able to get so far in his relationship with Eve. "Thank you…I appreciate everything you have done for me thus far. Anything you want, you name it. I am sincerely grateful for helping me with this." As if to emphasize his statement, he put his fist to his chest and bowed.

He sure played the part of valiant knight very well, Espella mused. It was no wonder he was the popular one with the tourists, particularly the females. She just smiled. "Just…take care of Eve. Make her happy." She paused before adding. "…and make sure I'm the first one on the guest list for the wedding."

* * *

**Having relationship troubles? Come visit Espella Cantabella, for all your relationship and courting needs. In all seriousness though, even I'm starting to become nervous for these two. And I'm the one writing the story. I wonder if this is how the Storyteller feels at times?**


	6. At Last

**Here it is, the chapter you've all been waiting for. This is where things get steamy. Hope you enjoy. A forewarning in case I wasn't clear: there is sex in this chapter, so if that isn't your cup of tea, then feel free to stop after they get to the bedroom, or skip over this chapter completely. Warning done, please proceed.**

* * *

This was it. The time to finally come clean to Eve how he felt about her had finally arrived. Unlike their previous outings, this one had to be special. So that night, he ended up doing something he'd never thought he'd be able to bring himself to do. He invited her over for wine. Of course, he was never planning on doing anything beyond that, nor did he have the intention of getting her drunk so he could take advantage of her in her vulnerable state. He was too honorable for that. Besides, all he was concentrating on this evening was to figure out a way to confess to her. It wasn't going to be easy; hopefully the wine would be enough to loosen the both of them up.

"I must say…" She said, her voice smooth as velvet, her lips curled into her trademark grin that was enough to drive him mad. "You certainly know how to…set the mood. I thought we were just going to have a friendly chat."

True, maybe the candles and incense were a bit much, but this was the woman who used to be his superior a little while ago. If he wanted to draw her in, he knew he couldn't be cheap about this. Though now he felt a little disconcerted by her comment and if he didn't know better, he'd say that the air was becoming a little more dense than usual. He swirled the wine in his goblet and took a fast swig to calm himself down.

"We are. So, how is…life?" He decided he had to start somewhere, but right now he thought he had just sounded like an idiot. He could feel the blood rushing to his cheeks, and he could not tell whether it was from the embarrassment or the alcohol.

She smirked at him as she began talking. He nodded after every other statement, but during that time he could not concentrate on what she was saying. He felt himself becoming lost within her gaze, her words dancing around him entrancingly like some sort of siren's song. If only she knew…if she could read his mind right now, she would find out quickly that she could get him to do whatever she asked of him without question, no matter what it was.

"Zacharias, are you alright?" He blinked when he realized she was calling his name, snapping him out of his dazed state. She had a concerned expression about her, as if she thought he was sick. Actually, the longer she stared into his eyes like that, the more unsettled his stomach was becoming. Quickly, he wracked his brain for excuses, for he did not want to disclose to her that he had been daydreaming about her just now.

"I'm fine. I…don't think I can handle my alcohol that well." He immediately wished he had a needle and thread to sew his mouth shut. He had said one too many ridiculous things in a single night; in fact, it was a wonder she hadn't left him yet.

However, she showed no sign of disturbance as that gentle grin returned to her face. "Well, then let's get you upstairs."

"Oh, no. Please, that will not be necessary…"

"If you're feeling ill, Zacharias, then you should lay your head down. Come."

Before he knew it, he had his arm slung over her as she led him upstairs to his room. Maybe he really couldn't handle his alcohol after all, considering it was rather difficult for him to find his footing. Or maybe it was because of how close the distance between them now was. He couldn't tell anymore.

Once they got to his room, she gently laid him down onto his bed, treating him like he had lost all control of his motor skills. He couldn't remember another time where he had been so embarrassed in his life. Not even that incident with the dog could compare to what he felt right now.

"That looks heavy on you. Let me help you with that." She indicated to his armor.

"I…I can manage it myself." He couldn't let her see him like this, acting all unprofessional like a lovesick puppy.

"Oh please, I insist."

Well, she could be very assertive when she wanted to be, but why did she have to go this far?! He could only wordlessly watch as she undid the straps that held each piece of his armor in place, and carefully slipped them off and placed them neatly in a pile in the corner. They were so close at this point, that he briefly wondered if she could hear the thunderous pounding in his chest. After all of the armor was removed from his body, she just quietly stared at him, almost like she was taking in the sight of him in his casual clothes.

"There," She spoke at last. He failed to notice the tiniest tremble in her throat. "Now you can relax. Please, get some rest. I shall lock the door behind me. Thank you for the wine."

No, he couldn't let the evening end this way, not when he had looked so foolish before her.

"W-Wait, Eve!" He called to her, not bothering to use a respectful title. Luckily, she stopped where she was. "Do you mind…staying? I-It would be unwise if you went out by yourself…that is, if you want to, you may…"

She looked at him for a long time. It was almost like she was purposely trying to make him uncomfortable. Finally, her serious expression broke as she let out a light-hearted chuckle. "Such a gentleman. Very well then. I accept your offer."

He would have showed her to the guest room, but she decided to settle herself onto his bed right next to him. A tense moment of silence passed between them, and he didn't know how much longer he could fight off these vexing feelings rising up within him. They were so close now that if he leaned forward just a little bit…

She beat him to the punch. Her touch on his cheek was so light, that he didn't notice her pulling him in closer until his lips were met with hers. Her eyes were closed with a serene look on her face, a slight flush coming to her cheeks. She tasted of wine and honey, something he wished he could savor as long as he could. As much as he wanted to stay like this, the need to breathe couldn't be ignored. They both pulled away as one, silently trying to catch their breaths. He couldn't describe the bubbly feeling that was rising in his chest, but he could equate it to that of pure bliss. Whether she knew it or not, he was letting her have her way with him, and he didn't mind at all.

"Maybe you should invite me over for wine more often." She smirked. "Correct me if my assumptions are wrong, but there was more to this whole thing than sharing a drink and talking."

"I-I wasn't planning anything vulgar, if that's what you're suggesting." He shot back defensively, to which she only chuckled.

"Obviously. I know you and you wouldn't do something so devious. Though honestly, that disappoints me…"

He gave her a confused stare. "What do you mean by that?"

"Now, I really did believe that you were unwell and not faking an illness as a means of getting me into your bedroom." She said it so bluntly, that he felt like he was being put on trial. "Your mannerisms were strange though, how you would blank out every so often, and the way you were looking at me. I thought I could play around with you a bit, see how you'd react if I took you to your bed and started taking your armor off. But you did not react and it was only when I was about to leave did you actually ask me to stay. And when I kissed you, you didn't brush me off, rather you- quite zealously, must I add- returned it in full. Honestly, Zacharias, I thought you would have been more direct with your feelings sooner than that. It took you almost half a year!"

He was stunned, to say the least. She had somehow urged him into revealing his schoolboy love to her when he wasn't even expecting it. "You…you temptress…!"

"But you liked it, did you not?"

There was that smile again. It was all too knowing; yet now he no longer cared. "I will not deny. No matter how your actions led me on…I really did enjoy it."

"So you've finally decided to come clean." She leaned in closer to him until she could feel his breath hot on her face.

"And you? I know you feel the same for me too."

Eve instinctively looked away as she tried to pass off her shyness as an interest in the wall. "This whole time, I would say. I was waiting for you to open up to me first. But you're so stubborn…"

He coughed. "Well…you certainly did get me to do that just now, didn't you?"

She merely gave him a wry smile. "Hmm…yes, that's right. I did." Zacharias felt his face grow even warmer when she leaned in closer to him so she could whisper in his ear. "I do not know about you, but I want to do more than just talk this evening..."

He didn't know who initiated contact first, but they were back into their kiss albeit more passionate than the first time. She nibbled on his bottom lip while he slid his arms tightly around her waist and ran his calloused hands up and down her back. Their faces were red and their movements were sloppy, but they were too intoxicated in the moment to care. She broke away from him so she could tug his shirt up with his help. A soft sigh escaped from her at the sight of him.

"So that's what you've been hiding underneath all that armor." She purred. "I'd like to see more of that."

"If you'll let me see more of you." He mumbled in her ear, quickly forgetting about his shyness and becoming more confident.

"Heh, of course."

She fumbled with the knot on the back of her dress until it finally came loose, and he tried to contain his eagerness as he took the dress off from her body, leaving her in just her small clothes. She was beautiful. Her body was smooth and flawless. Everything about this woman was just perfect, and it only made him want her more. He sucked a bit on her exposed neck, restraining himself just a little in order to show how much he valued her; though right now it seemed she was going to have none of that. She reached down to guide his hands over to the clasp of her brasserie. He looked at her, unsure if this was what she wanted, but she only gave him a nod in the affirmative and he was all too happy to comply. He did his best not to gawk at her when the garment fell from her chest, but it was quickly becoming a losing battle, especially when they were just…in his face like that. She seemed to have read his unspoken desires as she took one of his hands and gently placed it over her breast. It was soft in his grasp and slightly jiggled when she trembled a bit. He couldn't hold back anymore. Without waiting for approval, he brought his lips to it and started sucking while he kneaded the other with his free hand. She let out a breathless moan, but did not ask him to stop. She merely held his head in place as he directed all his attention onto her breasts. The satisfaction she felt in this moment was greater than anything else she had felt before.

She heard him utter a low groan, and she removed her grasp on him so he could pull back (she didn't even realize she was holding him that tight). His face was even redder now, perfectly matching the color of his hair. He was panting hard, but she could see the excitement shining in his eyes along with the anticipation of what they were going to do next. She laughed.

"Is that a sword in your pocket, or are you just happy to see me?" She couldn't help but tease him.

He looked down and saw exactly what she meant; no wonder his pants were so tight at the moment. "Ah, u-uh…forgive me…"

She shook her head. "As chaste as ever. Here, allow me…"

Her hands quickly unbuckled his belt and tugged his pants off until he was left in his undergarments. Dirty thoughts ran through her mind as she examined his hardened member, cautiously brushing her fingers against it. He stiffened up at her touch, and she could only wonder how sensitive it must have been to make him react like that. With his consent, she pulled off the last article of clothing from his waist and slowly began to massage him. He grit his teeth together, feeling waves of pleasure run through his lower system as she ran her fingers up and down the shaft. It was almost like a sweet torture, and the more she fondled him, the more he wanted. He jerked his hips into her grasp, hissing when the friction added more to the sensations. Already the pressure was building up inside him and he wasn't sure how long he'd be able to hold out if she continued like this.

"Stop…" He breathed out weakly. "I'm going to…"

"Shh…" She silenced him, withdrawing her hand completely. "I understand."

She moved and climbed onto his lap, spreading her legs open as she straddled him. For a short time, she grinded up against him as if to give him a preview of what it was going to be like. He followed her rhythm, getting a feel for it and at the same time trying to hold himself back from pushing himself into her. When she finally decided that was enough practice, she pulled back to shed the last of her small clothes and tossed it next to the other articles of clothing carelessly strewn about the room. Before they could go any further though, he suddenly paused.

"Is this truly what you want?" He asked her, searching her eyes for any doubt. "If you…do want this then …then I won't mind fulfilling your desires."

She stared at him for a long time, contemplating if what they were about to do was out of the genuine feelings of her heart, or something else entirely. Needless to say, it was really making him feel on edge at the moment. Finally, she gave him a soft, true smile and nodded confidently.

"Take me." She whispered, gazing straight into his eyes. "Take me now, Zacharias."

He thought she would never say it. Grabbing both of her hips, he positioned her until he was right below her entrance, then carefully lowered her onto himself. She tossed her head back and let out a cry of pleasure as he penetrated her. She begged him to keep going as she held onto his shoulders and began to set the motion on top of him. He moaned from these movements; this was better than when she was massaging him, but only by a little amount. Even though she was enjoying it, he felt like he wasn't close to getting any satisfaction out of it anytime soon, at least not from this position. Still inside, he pulled her in closer to him, and she nearly shouted in surprise when he suddenly rolled themselves over so he was on top of her. She didn't seem to mind though and rammed her pelvis into his. He easily pumped into her in response, finding it more comfortable when he was the one on top. The two of them continued in sync, gradually going faster and harder at each other. Within a few more thrusts, Eve was beginning to climax, and she grabbed his wrists as tight as she could as a shudder passed through her.

"Zacharias!" She screamed out his name in pure ecstasy.

Her body convulsed when she reached her peak, her inner muscles contracting around him as she released her fluids in a strong rush. It was enough to send him over the edge as well, and he let out a loud groan when he achieved his orgasm. He came powerfully inside her, his biceps trembling as he supported his weight through to the end. After the last spurt, he pulled himself out and weakly fell down next to her side. The both of them were sweaty and out of breath, basking in the relief of their afterglow. It had only been a few minutes, but he was already troubling himself in trying to find the right words to say to her, if there were any at all. Should he compliment her on her performance? Should he remain silent? What exactly was there to be said after such an intimate moment?

"Zacharias."

He snapped out of his internal ramblings when she called out to him in that sweet voice of hers. The sweat glistened off her pristine skin in the moonlight, and for a moment he could have sworn she was glimmering.

"Yes, Eve?"

"…I love you."

Right then he knew, that was all that really needed to be said. He pulled her in close and kissed her tenderly on the lips as the both of them slowly drifted off to sleep in each other's arms.

Meanwhile, Constantine was sitting in the corner next to his feline friend, wondering _what in the world did his master just do to the High Inquisitor?_

* * *

**This chapter itself is the only one in this story that will have M rated content. If this needs an M rating as a whole though, please let me know. The rules never really made that clear :/**


	7. The Morning After

The first thing Zacharias noticed when he woke up early that morning was the incredible soreness in his pelvic area. It felt like he had subjected himself to hours worth of strenuous training yesterday, and whenever he tried to move legs, a sharp sting traveled through his muscles, making him bit down on his tongue to prevent a groan from coming out. It was well worth it though; last night was amazing…

For some reason, the bed felt lighter, and that was when he realized that Eve was nowhere in sight. He inwardly started to panic, thinking she had left him in the middle of the night. Ignoring the creaks of protest in his joints, he quickly grabbed a blanket, wrapped it around his waist, and hurriedly rushed down the stairs. He desperately hoped she hadn't left. No…she wouldn't be that harsh and inconsiderate…not after they had been so intimate with each other last night.

To his relief, he found her in the kitchen sitting in one of the chairs, a blanket wrapped around her frame. He let out a sigh of relief and a little bit of discontent. He had wanted to wake up that morning with her bare flesh pressed up against his, his arm gently wrapped around her and caressing her body close to him. What could have made her want to get out of bed before he even woke up? As he stood there, she seemed to have noticed him and smiled gently at him.

"Good morning." She said rather tiredly.

"Good morning." He responded in kind, trying to hide the disappointment in his voice as he took a seat next to her.

"I didn't think you'd be up so early."

"I didn't think you would either…"

She caught that low tone in his voice, and looked at him with sincerity in her eyes. "I'm sorry…I just needed to think."

"About what?"

"It's…tis nothing. Don't worry about it."

She turned her face around so she couldn't look at him, but he wasn't going to let her shy away from him, not this time. He gripped her shoulder and gave it a light tug, urging her to look him in the eye. "Eve…you gave your body to me last night. You shouldn't have to hide anything from me anymore."

She closed her eyes as she pondered briefly pondered his words. Sighing she whispered, her voice barely audible, "Very well then…" After a few moments of trying to find the right words, she finally spoke again. "I…I shouldn't have forced myself upon you like that."

Zacharias blinked. "How do you mean?"

"I wasn't thinking straight…I was just so overcome with my feelings and desires that I just…lost control. I don't want you to get the wrong image of me."

"I'm afraid I don't understand." He was starting to feel nervous now as unwanted thoughts came into his head. Did she not enjoy herself during their moment of intimacy last night? Did she afterwards find out that she really didn't love him? After all this time and the moments they shared…were they all for naught? He was almost afraid to ask this next question: "Do you regret what we did last night?"

"Yes!" She suddenly shouted, making him flinch from the bluntness in her voice. Before he could dwell on her answer, she immediately followed up, "Look at us, Zacharias. Two people hopelessly in love, yet unable to communicate that to each other. We've never done anything beyond hand holding and the occasional embrace or so. We aren't even an official couple, yet…I feel as though I took things too fast with you. I want you to forgive my impatience. I don't want you to think that all I wanted was your body…not when you mean so much more to me than that..."

"Eve…" Zacharias put a finger under her chin and carefully lifted up her face so she wouldn't turn away again. A relieved feeling started to wash over him as he realized that her feelings for him really were genuine, however his heart was still heavy upon seeing her on the verge of a breakdown. He had never seen her this emotional before, and he would do anything right now to take away the tears that were threatening to spill from her eyes. "All these times we've been together have made me the happiest man I could ever be. Even before the first date, I knew I wanted to be with you and would do anything you wanted. And I'll admit, I was afraid too. By inviting you over and opening up to you…I was the one fearing that you would get the wrong idea of me. I wasn't even planning on doing what we did last night."

Eve sniffled, a watery smile coming to her lips as she jokingly remarked, "You got good sex out of it though."

He chuckled; there was the Eve he knew. "Aye, it was good…amazing even. But it wasn't just the love making that I enjoyed. Eve…all I wanted was for you to reciprocate my love that I have for you. And now that I know that...I'm ready to take the next step with you."

"Zacharias…what are you…"

"Sadness ill fits a lady such as yourself, Eve." He winked at her before leaning over to give her a kiss on the forehead. "So…I want to be the one to make you happy. Throughout the times we've spent together, I felt as if our relationship grew without us being aware of it. Even though we never actually admitted it to each other until now, I believe our love blossomed into something amazing, which is why you shouldn't be upset or angry about this. Eve, my feelings for you are sincere, and if I may be so bold as to ask…with God as my witness…" He inhaled deeply, taking her hands into his own. Before he could second guess himself, he looked her straight in the eye and asked, "Will you spend the rest of my life with me…as my wife?"


End file.
